Basketball in Canada

[TorontoDrew]

Gasol was hilarious, he was having such s great time.

[TorontoDrew]

Actually Acajack, the Queen song that best fits Raptors Fans and the team is "We are the Champions:

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

I haven't followed any of the NBA sports Finals, so I don't now what the reference to Kawhi and giving him a cactus means but from what I have seen from fb posts from people in Toronto and the kind of celebration makes me think that hopefully Toronto has learned it's lesson, for the better, for the first time 30 years after joining the NBA.



oh, worse than I thought...

I'm probably wasting my time. The meaning behind the plant is not my point. My point was that people were free to come and go and socialize with the players up close as they please. They were no barriers and/or security check points checking your bags and frisking you.

The shooting was deplorable and not to be ignore but, it was an isolated incident. I'd like to think we're a long ways from the police state celebrations south of the border. People in those crowds around Nathan Phillips Square, unaware or not, accepted a higher risk to their lives even if they were prepared with bottles of water, sun protection, diapers, etc. What i saw was poorly planned and implemented. We are very fortunate to have a Northern Californian summer so far. It went 6 hours past its planned schedule.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

It's a fine line between not overreacting to violent crime and accepting it as the norm. I hope Torontonians haven't become too desensitised...

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Gresto

We shouldn't celebrate his unpopularity too early. We have to bear three more years of the reptilian asshole. I do find it interesting to note the marked difference in public opinion of DoFo and Dump, who are of a comparable bottom-of-the-barrel calibre, though DoFo is not a brazen criminal. DoFo stumbled into public disfavour early and has only sunk further in the polls, while Dump has been on a multiple-per-day outrage/crime rampage for 2 1/2 years, and still enjoys fairly widespread support from his large cohort of degenerates. Their bases are base, but DoFo's is smaller and shrinking, while Dump's reprobates unfailingly hover at about 40%.

I don't like Doug Ford at all, but, i am amused by the vile and contempt against him but not Trudeau. I'm sure we will agree on the bad cuts Ford has made but, he is in a position where cuts have to be made.

Trudeau is good looking and an eloquent speaker. He portrays "woke" ideals. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth thrusted into a position he is not qualified. He is a publicity whore. On top of that, his decisions have been to the benefit of the wealthy.. notably trust fund babies like himself ...at the cost of hard working Canadians. He has done everything to make trust funds tax exempt and excluded to calculating subsidies and benefits being paid out to low income Canadians. A family of four with a household income of $100,000 gets nothings now. A family of four with a $2 million trust fund and no income can apply and be approved for every subsidy and benefit. How is this that different from Trump or most other politicians that put themselves first?

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

It's a fine line between not overreacting to violent crime and accepting it as the norm. I hope Torontonians haven't become too desensitised...

It might be because this is the basketball thread and people are trying to enjoy and celebrate a champion. This other crap could be talked about elsewhere and has been spurred on by seasoned Toronto haters (dislikers).

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

That's my thinking as well. NBA is simply cooler than the NHL these days, especially with young people.

A Leafs parade would be overwhelmingly older and whiter. This Raptors crowd today was a million percent under 30 and as multicultural as one could get. I have a feeling a Leafs parade would be smaller simply due to the demographics.

[theman23]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

I don't like Doug Ford at all, but, i am amused by the vile and contempt against him but not Trudeau. I'm sure we will agree on the bad cuts Ford has made but, he is in a position where cuts have to be made.

Trudeau is good looking and an eloquent speaker. He portrays "woke" ideals. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth thrusted into a position he is not qualified. He is a publicity whore. On top of that, his decisions have been to the benefit of the wealthy.. notably trust fund babies like himself ...at the cost of hard working Canadians. He has done everything to make trust funds tax exempt and excluded to calculating subsidies and benefits being paid out to low income Canadians. A family of four with a household income of $100,000 gets nothings now. A family of four with a $2 million trust fund and no income can apply and be approved for every subsidy and benefit. How is this that different from Trump or most other politicians that put themselves first?

Yeah, Trudeau and Morneau's new income tax laws to promote "fairness" for everyone except themselves represent a huge conflict of interest. This is something I've been harping on for the past two years.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

It might be because this is the basketball thread and people are trying to enjoy and celebrate a champion. This other crap could be talked about elsewhere and has been spurred on by seasoned Toronto haters (dislikers).

Yeah, fair enough.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by JHikka

A Leafs parade would be overwhelmingly older and whiter. This Raptors crowd today was a million percent under 30 and as multicultural as one could get. I have a feeling a Leafs parade would be smaller simply due to the demographics.

I think by the time these hypothetical Leafs made it through four heroic playoff rounds, the publicity would be overwhelming and you’d end up with a lot of the same people at their parade, even if they weren’t lifelong hockey fans.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Andy6

I think by the time these hypothetical Leafs made it through four heroic playoff rounds, the publicity would be overwhelming and you’d end up with a lot of the same people at their parade, even if they weren’t lifelong hockey fans.

Possibly, yeah. Bandwagons have that power.

[Mrs Sauga]

Aren't all the Raptors Americans? How is this Canada's team?

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by theman23

There were more people a this parade than there are in the cities of Montreal or Vancouver. The turnout at least doubled the population of 9/13 Canadian provinces/territories.

Haha so you're saying there was over 5 million people there now??
Isn't that what Montreal has reached now?

[Gresto]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

I don't like Doug Ford at all, but, i am amused by the vile and contempt against him but not Trudeau. I'm sure we will agree on the bad cuts Ford has made but, he is in a position where cuts have to be made.

Trudeau is good looking and an eloquent speaker. He portrays "woke" ideals. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth thrusted into a position he is not qualified. He is a publicity whore. On top of that, his decisions have been to the benefit of the wealthy.. notably trust fund babies like himself ...at the cost of hard working Canadians. He has done everything to make trust funds tax exempt and excluded to calculating subsidies and benefits being paid out to low income Canadians. A family of four with a household income of $100,000 gets nothings now. A family of four with a $2 million trust fund and no income can apply and be approved for every subsidy and benefit. How is this that different from Trump or most other politicians that put themselves first?

I don't disagree, at least in part. I don't think DoFo has done a single thing I agree with, except reverse or delay his unpopular initiatives when the heat became too hot.
As for Trudeau, I didn't vote for him, but found him refreshingly positive-minded and egalitarian-sounding at the beginning. Concerns about his lack of political ability or readiness were also overblown (even now, he's a face of sanity and rationality compared to the Disaster Down South), though his dad was an infinitely better prime minister and had an unforced coolness Justin couldn't begin to replicate.
However, as it turned out, Trudeau's tenure has in large part been more of the same "wealthy and corporations' interests first" politics, with a few sops to the interests of the general public. Still, I'd rather he were re-elected than see Dimples get in and possibly run roughshod over everything. Ideally, May or Singh would get a crack at governing. Singh is still something of an unknown quantity - interesting, and I like him, but relatively unknown - but I thing May is exceptionally knowledgeable and qualified. She demolished the others with her knowledge and natural disposition (no politician-speak) the one time she was allowed into the debates about 12-15 years ago.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Your baby's beautiful. Do not fret.

Yeah, what is it about sports teams that make some grown men acted like jilted teenage girls if you criticize them?

Are shootings normal in US cities during an NBA championship parade? Honestly don’t know...

[theman23]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Haha so you're saying there was over 5 million people there now??
Isn't that what Montreal has reached now?

City of Montreal. I’ll save you googling it:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by theman23

City of Montreal. I’ll save you googling it:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal

Oh yes I think they call that "semantics"?
Vancouver hasn't taken over any of its suburbs like Toronto or Calgary so 600k ish.

[theman23]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Oh yes I think they call that "semantics"?
Vancouver hasn't taken over any of its suburbs like Toronto or Calgary so 600k ish.

Yes, because the intention of my post was to engage in a debate about the size of Montreal and Vancouver. Looks like you showed me.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Possibly, yeah. Bandwagons have that power.

There's no question that a majority of the people who were at the parade yesterday were bandwagon fans, and I expect the same would be true of a Leafs parade: it would just be random people from the city and surrounding area who were swept up by the media frenzy and whose strongest tie to the team is that they went to a game once.

In a crowd that size on a hot day, though, I truly pity the people who would wear hockey jerseys. I'd last an hour.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by megadude

Amazing that plant guy and Kawhi connected and for sure he’s gonna end up court side for a game next year. I bet people saw who he was and parted the Red Sea to let him through.

What's the story behind the plant anyway? I haven't been able to find a good connection. Is it like... a fake housewarming gift to convince him to stay? Or just a meme?

It was cute, though. Millions of people connected by cheering during an NBA championship parade in Toronto of all places because a player held up a fucking cactus. It's like sidewalk raccoon.